The general director, or “DG”, stood at 55 Wellington Street and served generations of residents until its demolition in 2008 as part of an important remodeling of the city center.
At its peak, it was one of the favorites among printing workers on the other side of the road. In later years, he became known as a friendly gay place, valued by his cozy atmosphere.
The name of a powerful Victorian era that once exhibited in the nearby Royal Arsenal, the DG was not only a pub, but a part of local history.
The activists had asked to keep some of the historical characteristics of the building, but those efforts were not successful.
Despite the opposition of local MP and Heritage groups, the pub was demolished to give way to the new supermarket.
The Tesco that replaced it later is customary to win the Carbunce Cup in 2014 for the “most ugliest new building in the United Kingdom.”
The history of the general director now appears in London’s Lost pubs (£ 20 pen and sword)A book recently released by the author Sam Cullen.
The book document about 200 pubs that have disappeared from London in the last 25 years, based on decades of reviews, guides and memories to give life to its history.
Cullen said: “As much as it is sad that the thesis pubs do not exist, I wanted to make sure they do not arrive on time to tell their stories, their history and some of the strange characters they drink in them.
“Pubs can tell you a lot about social and cultural history. The book is a celebration of pubs that existed as a vehicle to look for aspects of London’s life.”
Althegh, the general director is no longer standing, his legacy continues to live in the memories of those who knew him, and now, in the pages of the book of Cullen.
